Dear Editor: When the Curtain Goes Up, Support the Students

Dear Editor,

I took the opportunity last Tuesday evening to attend the school board meeting, specifically the portion allotted for public comment on non-agenda items. It was interesting, enlightening, and infuriating, so I am compelled to write. All the public comments that night were centered on Superintendent Nieskins and high school principal Jason Slater's actions to prevent the high school play from being a sanctioned high school activity. By being reclassified as non-sanctioned, the students will not be able to present to the age-appropriate student body during school hours or on school property, period.

In fact, the Whitehall School District does not want its name associated with this performance in any way, shape, or form. Though these individuals knew play practice occurring throughout these past months, they voiced no concerns or objections to their Drama Director, Liz Pullman, until two weeks ago. By then, the cast had been chosen, lines learned, and excitement palpable as the curtain was ready for this group's performance at the Thespian Festival in Missoula on January 24th and 25th. I can only imagine the negative impact on these students when the administration withdrew the school's support of the activity for which they had spent countless hours of preparation.

The play "I Don't Want To Talk About It," by playwright Bradley Hayward, covers a number of issues and feelings that many teens struggle with daily, including gossip, bullying, and suicide. For reasons still unclear to me, these two administrators went looking for a reason to distance the school from this play and finally settled on the issue of suicide. Perhaps they are concerned that life will imitate art, though they know from Mr. Hayward's own words that the inspiration for his art came from life.

These are extremely relevant issues for teens, and concerning suicide, our state as a whole. Since the time that records have been kept, Montana has consistently placed in the top FIVE states for most suicides per capita and frequently places FIRST or SECOND. It was stated that trigger warnings would be included in the advertising leading up to the performance, and on-site suicide awareness resources would be made available during the performances. I concede that the play may not be appropriate for all students and strongly feel that that decision belongs to the parent(s). As an institution of PUBLIC education, I do not believe the school administrators should be involved in censorship. At best, this is a missed opportunity to have a dialogue about a sensitive issue for the most vulnerable. According to our Superintendent, educators are required to receive suicide awareness/prevention training every five years. I know firsthand that other professions require yearly training. This is probably a gap year for many of the staff, so again, it is a missed opportunity that could have had a significant impact.

My read of the room that night is as follows: 1) the majority of the school board had no idea there was an issue, 2) Superintendent Nieskins was visibly upset this issue had made it to public purview, so much so, that she resorted to shaming the drama director which I believe is never acceptable professional behavior and begs the question WHY? 3) A parent of one of the students performing in the play had a reasonable solution to allow the play to go forward as a school-sanctioned activity. Apparently, when there are curricula that some parents may find unsuitable for their child (sex education was the example cited), a letter is sent home to parents giving them a heads up. I suspect an opportunity to review the material and decide if their child should be excused when the material is presented. Again, the PARENT's decision. 4) Something else may be at the heart of their decision.

In closing, I want the community to know that the play will be performed by the students of the Whitehall School District both at the Thespian Festival and at the STAR Theatre later in the year. I do not know the date(s) of the Star Theatre performance or I would cite them here. When the curtain goes up, I hope you will be there to support the students and to become more suicide aware.

Sincerely,

DORIE WESTHOVEN

Whitehall, Montana